The LGBT Education Charity Charitable Incorporated Organisation No. 1156352 TEACHERS SURVEY 2008-2013 Project Co-ordinated by: JGM Evans Data analysed and report drafted by: Professor Ian Rivers School of Education The University of Strathclyde With foreword by Lord Cashman, CBE and afterword by Sue Sanders, Emeritus Professor, Harvey Milk Institute Foreword by Lord Cashman, MBE A message from Gill Goodswen Laws may change, attitudes may shift, Past President of the National Union of Teachers (NUT), 2010 - 2011 yet excuses are still placed in the way I am delighted to have this opportunity to recommend and endorse of achieving real and lasting equality this analysis of the ground breaking Prevalence of Homophobia for all. During my lifetime I have seen Surveys undertaken by various divisions and associations of the changes aimed at eradicating inequality, National Union of Teachers (NUT) including a number of LEAs, between 2008 and 2013. Promoting equal opportunities in all especially in the law, which I could never its manifestations is very important to me. While we are right to have dreamt of, and these changes recognise the many advances to celebrate human diversity and were achieved because women and men had the courage to equality over the last 35 years, no one can doubt that there is still so much to do. I am committed to ensuring that all our young people stand up and give a voice to the voiceless. and their teachers are protected from homophobic bullying and that by undertaking these surveys and the related corrective endeavour Resistance to equality still thrives, in so many areas, and it we continue the task of empowering all staff to challenge and is our duty to protect and enhance the rights of all. That is eradicate this prejudice from our schools. why I welcome this extremely important and timely Report on Homophobia which has been conducted over five years by the I congratulate and celebrate my colleagues, classroom teachers from around the country, who prioritised in their busy day the completion and return of the hundreds of questionnaires members of NUT, teachers from other unions and Schools OUT on which the findings of this ground-breaking survey rest. They include teachers from the UK. following NUT Divisions and Associations: Birmingham, Blackburn-with-Darwin, Blackpool, Buckinghamshire, Bury, Kirklees, Lancashire, Liverpool, Luton, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, St The data has been collected from those in the front line, teachers, Helens, Tameside, Trafford, Wakefield, Warrington and Wigan. and reflects what they have heard, seen and experienced. It covers homophobia experienced by pupils and staff, as well as the It is clear from the results of the surveys that teachers know of this discrimination, they recognise it for the serious issue it is and who unequivocally ask for the training and practical climate in which they operate. material so they can get on with challenging such ignorance. In Kirklees, my own association, we surveyed every school and hundreds of teachers responded, such is their dedication to the Such large scale studies are vital if we are to develop a real protection of the children in their charge. Since the results of that survey was known the local strategy for making our children and our teachers safe and authority has appointed a dedicated officer to provide bespoke training to teachers across the bringing an end to discrimination that blights the lives of those who LA on dealing with homophobic and transphobic bullying. It is a great source of professional and personal pride and reassurance to note that our schools are safer places because this experience it and those who practise it. issue was raised and officers of the union and the local authority worked closely together to address the issues raised. We know that child protection is at the heart of all schools and Researched across four regions, this voluntary unfunded work that safe and inclusive school environments are essential for learning. Challenging ignorance undertaken by Jeffrey Evans, vividly reminds us that we should is a core function of teachers and there is no place for fear of difference in our schools. I do listen to teacher’s voices, and that there is still much to do to make believe that these surveys helped those concerned with child protection and safer schools and our schools safe. communities re-double their efforts to making our schools and colleges safer environments where homophobia and prejudice is challenged. Lord Cashman, CBE I was very proud of being the President of the NUT when such a principled and ongoing commitment to equality work, that this survey represents, was in progress and thereby able to lend the high profile support and encouragement this survey initiative. As Past President, I remain proud that my union works with Schools OUT UK and LGBT History Month and I am deeply honoured to be able to endorse the report and urge that it acts as a spring board that results in arresting the endemic ignorance, that is homophobia and transphobia, that blights the lives of our children and thereby their future. Gill Goodswen Schools OUT UK - Teachers Survey 2008-2013 Schools OUT UK - Teachers Survey 2008-2013 1. Introduction 2. Data Collection Across the Years Since 2008, the constituent members of the National Union of Teachers (NUT) together with teachers from other unions and Schools OUT UK, have been gathering data about teachers’ experiences of homophobia in schools. This survey of 2,741 classroom teachers is perhaps one of the most useful both in charting teachers’ beliefs about the importance of the FIGURE 1: 2008 Survey FIGURE 2: 2008-2009 Surveys FIGURE 3: 2008-2010 Surveys addressing homophobia in schools but also in their confidence in tackling this issue. (N = 138) (N=435) (N, 1027) Across five years, participants were asked to answer three questions focusing on school climate and consider the degree to which the agreed or disagreed with five statements which related to continuing profesional development (CPD) needs. The three questions asked of teachers were as follows: Question 1: General Climate 138 Have you heard or seen any general derogatory reference to same-sex relationships in your 42 435 933 classroom or about the school by pupils? Question 2: Specific Pupil to Pupil Abuse Have you heard or seen any specific homophobic abuse by one pupil of another pupil [e.g. one pupil referring to another as being “gay”]? Question 3: Specific Homophobic Abuse of Members Have you been subject to any homophobic abuse [verbal or non-verbal] by a pupil (regardless of your sexual orientation)? FIGURE 4: 2008-2012 Surveys FIGURE 5: 2008-2013 Surveys In terms of CPD requirements, the statements teachers were asked to agree or disagree with (N= 2,741) (N=2,401) were as follows: S1. I consider that homophobia is a serious issue that should not be allowed to go unchallenged in school. S2. I consider the school vigorously discourages homophobia in all its activities. S3. I feel sufficiently confident to challenge pupils on the issue. 1,418 1,418 S4. I would welcome training on the issue of addressing homophobia in the classroom. 941 941 S5. There is a reluctance to confront the issue of same-sex relationships and a clear 340 heterosexist assumption. Initial analysis of the data is broken down firstly by year and secondly by geographical region. It is important to note that this survey offers an historical 42 42 rather than current analysis of the experiences and CPD requirements of teachers. Schools OUT UK - Teachers Survey 2008-2013 Schools OUT UK - Teachers Survey 2008-2013 60 3. School Climate 53.9 Question 1: General 51 45 Climate (Analysis by 80 Region) % 36.5 73.5 Have you heard or seen any 30 general derogatory reference to 29 60 60 same-sex relationships in your Question 1: General Climate % 51 classroom or about the school by (Analysis by Year) 47.3 pupils? 15 Have you heard or seen any general 40 derogatory reference to same-sex 30.3 relationships in your classroom or 0 20 about the school by pupils? North West Yorkshire & Humber West Midlands The South-East 0 2008 2009 2010 2012 2013 40 35.1 35 30 60 Question 2: Specific Pupil % 27 51.5 to Pupil Abuse (Analysis 20 Question 2: Specific Pupil to 45 by Region) % 40.8 Have you heard or seen any Pupil Abuse (Analysis by Year) 35 Have you heard or seen any specific specific homophobic abuse by 30 12 homophobic abuse by one pupil of 28.2 one pupil of another pupil [e.g. 10 another pupil [e.g. one pupil referring one pupil referring to another as 18.8 being “gay”]? to another as being “gay”]? 15 0 North West Yorkshire & Humber West Midlands The South-East 0 2008 2009 2010 2012 2013 5 5 12 11 Question 3: Specific 4 4.1 10 Homophobic Abuse of Question 3: Specific % Members (Analysis by 3 Homophobic Abuse of 8 % Region) Members (Analysis by Year) 6 Have you been subject to any Have you been subject to any 5 2 homophobic abuse [verbal or 2 homophobic abuse [verbal or non- 4 3.17 non-verbal] by a pupil (regardless verbal] by a pupil (regardless of your 2.83 2 of your sexual orientation)? 1 sexual orientation)? 2 0 0 2008 2009 2010 2012 2013 0 North West Yorkshire & Humber West Midlands The South-East Schools OUT UK - Teachers Survey 2008-2013 Schools OUT UK - Teachers Survey 2008-2013 4. CPD Requirements 100 86 TABLE 1: Percentage of respondents who agreed or strongly agreed with statements by region. 80 % 66.6 S5.